We’re backing a bid to open up the under-used railway land by Deal Station to make a new transport hub, ready for increased demand with the new high speed service.

When Mayor of Deal, Cllr Ben Bano joined forces with Trains4Deal campaigners Ian Killbery and Tom Rowland in calling for the gate of the London Road side of Deal station to be opened to allow access for cars and taxis picking up passengers who cannot use the footbridge. The gate has been closed for a considerable time and cars or taxis picking up passengers can cause a hazard for pedestrians as well as obstructing London Road through stopping to pick up passengers. Cllr Bano said: ‘There is no current or planned lift at Deal station. Access to the down platform for elderly and disabled passengers could be made so much easier if cars and taxis were able to get near the platform. At present those in wheelchairs or passengers with prams have to negotiate their way out of the station through London Road into Queen Street. This is unacceptable when there is such a simple and immediate solution. Joining the Mayor's protest , local artist Valerie Tarbuck (pictured on scooter) who lives in Upper Deal said, "I had to get rid of my car a year ago. I'd like to travel to London to visit galleries, Covent Garden and Theatreland. If the gate opens, there's a Deal taxi that takes scooters." Trains4Deal campaigner Ian Killbery said: "Rail travel in a town like Deal should be accessible to everyone. Getting high speed trains to stop is vital for the local economy, but we also need convenient trains to Charing Cross. This railway-owned site is ideal to provide the extra properly-controlled parking we'll need as well as a safe pickup point, and safer routes to the station for cyclists and pedestrians."Tom Rowland said, "We need evidence of strong local support to convince Southeastern and Network Rail that people want this facility back."

Improving access to Deal station for cyclists also completes several gaps in the town’s existing cycle network

What we want is safer, largely off-road routes from the station:- NORTH towards Southwall Rd and the "back" entrance to the Fowlmead Country Park;- SOUTH towards the Deal town cycle route through Victoria Park;- EAST towards NCR1 along the seafront. The map shows how this would "fill the gaps" in existing cycle routes:

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